The Baron Report: Sustainable Packaging and Air Carbon Technology

Introduction

• Hosted by Paul Barron.
• Focused on sustainable packaging and technology in innovation.
• Guest: Mark Herrema from Newlight Technologies discussing Air Carbon.

Newlight Technologies and Air Carbon

• Developed a material called Air Carbon.
• Produced by microorganisms from the ocean using saltwater, air, and greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide or methane.
• Technical name: PHP (Polyhydroxybutyrate).
• Air Carbon is meltable, allowing it to replace plastic.

Advantages of Air Carbon

• Environmentally Friendly:
  • Naturally occurs in the environment and can be consumed like organic matter.
  • Home compostable and industrial compostable.
• Applications:
  • Can replace polypropylene (a common plastic) in various products.
  • Used in injection molding, automotive parts, furniture.
• Marine Degradable:
  • Helps address ocean plastic pollution.

Applications and Market Expansion

• Foodware:
  • Developed Restore brand for Air Carbon straws and cutlery.
  • Targets marine pollution from food-related products.
• Fashion:
  • Air Carbon’s carbon-negative footprint is appealing in fashion for sustainability.
• Performance:
  • Strong material, not flimsy or brittle.
  • Performance in products like wallets demonstrates flexibility and strength.

Market Potential and Strategic Partnerships

• Demand Growth:
  • Food packaging demand is increasing, especially off-premise.
  • Opportunity due to high numbers of food occasions.
• Partnerships:
  • Collaborations with brands like Shake Shack.
  • Aim to be in 1800 locations by April.
• Production:
  • New commercial plant, Eagle 3, boosting production capacity.

Industry Trends and Future Directions

• Sustainability Trends:
  • Reusability and plastic-free materials are growing in importance.
  • Consumer awareness and demand for more sustainable options.
• Material Science and Innovation:
  • Air Carbon can potentially expand into packaging and other industries.
  • Aim to address ocean plastics with a wide range of products.

Challenges and Opportunities

• Manufacturing and Cost Efficiency:
  • Balancing sustainability with price and performance.
  • Need to create solutions that work financially and practically.
• Partnerships for Scale:
  • Collaboration with industry partners for larger impact.
  • Potential for joint ventures or licensing.

Newlight’s Environmental Commitment

• Manufacturing Practices:
  • Use of renewable energy and sustainable processes.
  • Accredited as a carbon credit generating process.
• Verification and Transparency:
  • Production tracked by IBM blockchain for carbon footprint verification.

Conclusion

• Newlight aims to revolutionize packaging with a focus on sustainability.
• Future plans include expanding product types and partnerships to address ocean plastic pollution.
• Encourages industry-wide collaboration for greater impact.